IC INBOX; MoM

[pushtheboundaries]

"You've reached Robert Callaghan, Headmaster to the Heropa Organization for imPort Education. Please leave a message with your name, your phone number, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. As a reminder, my office hours are..."

Comments

voice;

[itistolaugh]

I'll text you the address. And, Robert, if you stand me up I will be heartbroken.

[ She hangs up and sends the address of ... whatever bar there is in Heropa. ]

voice>action

[pushtheboundaries]

I won't.

[he puts on his coat, makes sure he has everything, and walks over- letting the cool air clear his head a bit. or, well, try.

when he arrives, he's still...well, unhappy. but he's got that resigned-tired-calm to him as he looks around for Harley.]

[itistolaugh]

[ Harley came from work and is near unrecognizable with her hair pinned up and dressed like respectable doctor, but she still has that same wicked little grin. ]

Hi.

[ She doesn't ask, just leads him to quietest part of the bar. It's a place for secrets if he feels so inclined, or staying hidden, if he doesn't. She's good at finding these dark spaces. ]

[pushtheboundaries]

[he almost doesn't recognize her- but for that grin. there's a blink, but then a nod of greeting, and he lets himself be led. he eases himself down with a sigh, finding some smalltalk to fill the silence;]

I haven't gone to many of these, since I arrived. What's on tap?

[when was the last time he went to a bar, at all, really...?]

[itistolaugh]

[ Harley raises a brow and shakes her head, reaching out to pat his shoulder. ]

Oh, sweetie, no. This is not a beer kind of day. Whiskey, at least. Maybe even tequila.

[pushtheboundaries]

[...hmph. there's the ghost of a smile at that as he leans back, tilting his head]

Scotch on the rocks?

[itistolaugh]

There's a good boy.

[ She waves the bartender over and orders one for each of them. She's sitting so that she's turned toward him, but not facing straight on. Non-confrontational. Open. Casual.

Let this be on his terms, whatever it is. ]

[pushtheboundaries]

[heh.

his terms, apparently, involve a degree of silence- but it's somehow a comfortable one, where the most thath appensi s the clinking of glass and ice and very small, well, smalltalk. a lot of looking out towards the others, not so much to avoid looking at hers, but for a place to focus and think on anything but the past day.

he's on his refill when he finally looks towards her]

Where were you, before you came here? Your last memory.

[itistolaugh]

[ She glances sideways at him and then looks at her drink. That's a tricky one. The truth, in whole, is a bit dramatic and this is supposed to be about him. "I was trying to murder one of my BFFs and also there was a lot of stuff on fire" doesn't really set the proper mood. ]

I was heading out of town. Looking for ... I don't know, greener pastures or whatever. It wasn't a good scene.

[pushtheboundaries]

[there's another little hmh-laugh. Robert looks down at his own drink.]

Probably not as bad as being driven off in the back of a police cruiser.

[and he needs another sip before he even thinks about going more in to that.]

[itistolaugh]

[ She has to cover her mouth to stop from grinning, but she can't hide the way it reaches her eyes. Oh bless his old sweatervested heart. She keeps forgetting people here don't know. ]

Well, I dunno. I could have used the ride.

[pushtheboundaries]

I can see you as a troublemaker when you were younger, but I have to say, my stint was nothing but one bad decision after another.

But then, everyone thinks they're doing the right thing at the time.

[itistolaugh]

That's a very generous opinion.

[ She crunches an ice cube between her teeth, sucks on the pieces. ]

Nah, not everyone. Not even close. There are plenty of people who are cruel just to see what happens.

[ Taps the glass on the bar, frowning. That wasn't ... very encouraging. ]

Sorry, that sounds more cynical than I meant.

[pushtheboundaries]

I haven't met many of them, but I don't doubt you. Most of the ones I know...

[he pushes his drink away from him. his empty drink, mind. is he asking for a refill? maaaaybe.]

It's just- we got so damn consumed with ourselves, we get so selfish, and then before anyone knows it things have gone wrong and how the hell did it happen?

[itistolaugh]

[ Uncomfortable memories bubble up inside her and she breathes out heavily. She swallows the rest of her drink and signals for another round. ]

I know.

[ She doesn't know what else to say, but it feels unfinished to cut off there so she nudges his leg with her knee.

Her glass is empty almost as soon as it's refilled.]

[pushtheboundaries]

[his isn't emptied, but he does take a good swallow. god, it burns, and he- he can't help but rest his forehead against the cool glass, grimacing in a bitter smile]

The best part- that whole 'road to hell' thing, 'paved with good intentions'?

What does it say about someone who even after the fact, knows they were in the right, even understanding that they did wrong?

[itistolaugh]

It means ...

[ She lets it hang because what does it mean? Probably to do it better next time. She sighs. ]

Not that my opinion means anything, but ...

[ Puts her hand over his. ]

I do believe in second chances.

[pushtheboundaries]

So people say.

[he pulls his hand back, resting it palm-up on the counter and looking at it. his other is still at his forehead, elbow on the counter - he's propping himself up, and doesn't look like he's about to fall over, but the scotch seems to have started to have its effect.]

People change their minds.

[and he closes that hand]

[itistolaugh]

Hff.

[ She's just--! Just gonna lean on him! So there!! ]

[pushtheboundaries]

[god damn it lady he's feeling sorry for himself will you just

he sighs and reaches up to pat her on the shoulder]

Guess I'm a piece of work even when tipsy, huh?

[itistolaugh]

Some people change their minds, Rob. Not everyone.

[ She is cuddling him in public and he is just going to have to deal with that. ]

Whatever happened, I guarantee I've forgiven worse.

[ Hell, probably done worse too. Okay, almost definitely done worse. ]

[pushtheboundaries]

[he's going to deal with that and what few looks are being shot their way. fellow grey-hairs wish their ladyfriends looked this good.]

Please tell me you're not secretly a priest.

[itistolaugh]

[ Okay, she laughs. ]

Psychologist. Once upon a time.

[pushtheboundaries]

You-? Well, I- [and he laughs a bit, himself, shaking his head] I'd have never thought...that's what I get, I guess.

So, tell me, 'doc'... [and he tilts his glass towards her] ...does this sound like the rambling of a crazy person? Because between you and me, sometimes I wonder.

[itistolaugh]

Surpriiiise! [ Jazz hands! ] Don't worry, I'm not billing you for this appointment.

It sounds like the rambling of a man with a lot of Scotch in him.